1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communication terminals for mutually transmitting image data, voice data, and the like and a communication conference system.
2. Related Background Art
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the schematic arrangement of a conventional television conference apparatus. A CPU 110 controls the overall apparatus. A ROM 112 stores programs executed by the CPU 110. A RAM 114 serves as the main memory of the CPU 110 and temporarily stores various data. An SIO 116 serves to perform serial communication between the CPU 110 and an operation apparatus (e.g., a keyboard, a mouse, or a coordinate input unit). An operation apparatus connection terminal 118 serves to connect an operation apparatus to the apparatus.
A microphone connection terminal 124 serves to connect a microphone to the apparatus. An amplifier 126 amplifies a voice signal from the microphone. A voice codec 128 codes/decodes a voice signal. An amplifier 130 amplifies an output signal from the voice codec 128. A speaker connection terminal 132 serves to connect a speaker to the apparatus.
An image codec 134 codes/decodes an image signal. A camera connection terminal 136 serves to connect a video camera to the apparatus. A monitor connection terminal 142 serves to connect a monitor to the apparatus.
A line I/F 144 is a signal matching interface to a communication line network. A communication line network connection terminal 146 serves to connect a communication line network to the apparatus. A CPU bus 148 serves to exchange data and control signals between the CPU 110 and a peripheral circuit.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the schematic arrangement of a conventional terminal arrangement using the television conference apparatus shown in FIG. 3. A television conference apparatus 160 is identical to that shown in FIG. 3. A video camera 162 is used to photograph conference participants. A microphone 164 picks up voices produced by a conference participant. A monitor 166 displays an image. A speaker 168 outputs voices. This arrangement includes a communication line network 170 and an operation apparatus 172 used by an operator to operate the television conference apparatus 160.
The flows of signals in the above arrangement will be briefly described below. First of all, the operator operates the operation apparatus 172 to input the telephone number of a partner""s station for which line connection is to be performed. The operation apparatus 172 outputs operation data corresponding to the operation performed by the operator, as serial data, to the SIO 116 of the television conference apparatus 160. The CPU 110 in the television conference apparatus 160 reads out the serial data from the register of the SIO 116 via the CPU bus 148 to recognize a line connection instruction from the operation apparatus 172. Upon recognition of the line connection instruction from the operator, the CPU 110 outputs a line connection instruction to the line I/F 144. The line I/F 144 outputs a communication line connection request in accordance with the line connection instruction from the CPU 110. The line I/F 144 waits for a line connection completion response from the communication line network 170 and receives this response signal. Thereafter, the line I/F 144 notifies the CPU 110 of the completion of line connection. With the above operation, line connection processing is completed with respect to the partner""s station for which a television conference is to be held.
After line connection, image and voice data are mutually transmitted between the respective stations. Transmission processing will be described first.
An image signal obtained by photographing a conference participant using the video camera 162 is received by the television conference apparatus 160 via the camera connection terminal 136 and input to the image codec 134. The image codec 134 compresses/codes the input image signal, and outputs the coded image data or compressed image data to the line I/F 144.
A voice signal picked up from a conference participant by the microphone 164 is received by the television conference apparatus 160 via the microphone connection terminal 124 and amplified by the amplifier 126. Thereafter, the voice signal is input to the voice codec 128. The voice codec 128 compresses/codes the input voice signal, and outputs the coded voice data or compressed voice data to the line I/F 144.
The line I/F 144 converts the input compressed image and voice data into data conforming to communication line standards,.and outputs the data from the communication line network connection terminal 146 to the communication line network 170.
Reception processing will be described next. The data from the communication line network 170 is received by the television conference apparatus 160 via the communication line network connection terminal 146 and input to the line I/F 144. The line I/F 144 converts the input data into data conforming to the internal format employed by the apparatus. Thereafter, the line I/F 144 outputs information associated with the image to the image codec 134, and outputs information associated with the voice to the voice codec 128.
The image codec 134 decodes the data from the line I/F 144 to convert it into an analog signal, and outputs the analog image signal to the monitor 166 via the monitor connection terminal 142. With this operation, the received image is displayed on the screen of the monitor 166.
The voice codec 128 decodes the data from the line I/F 144 to convert it into an analog signal, and outputs the analog voice signal to the amplifier 130. The amplifier 130 amplifies the input voice signal, and outputs it to the speaker 168 via the speaker connection terminal 132. With this operation, the received voice is output from the speaker 168.
With the above processing, an image from the partner""s station is displayed on the monitor screen, and a voice from the partner""s station is output from the speaker.
In the conventional arrangement, communications between the self station and the partner""s station are performed by using only image and voice data. For this reason, when conference participants meet for the first time, self-introduction is performed at first. In this case, each conference participant either memorizes the contents of self-introduction or writes them on paper or the like.
In addition, a person who participates-late in a conference either requests self-introduction from other conference participants or remains in the conference without knowing the names and posts of other conference participants.
Furthermore, the proceedings of a conference are manually formed by a conference participant after the end of the conference, similar to a conventional conference (a conference held in a room where conference participants gather).
In the conventional method of forming the proceedings of a television conference, the names, posts, and the like of the participants may be mistakenly input in forming the proceedings. Especially, the names of the conference participants are conveyed by voice, and hence may be mistakenly input.
In addition, if the television conference apparatus is connected to a multipoint television conference control apparatus, a television conference can be held upon connecting television conference apparatuses at two or more points (multipoints).
In a television conference using a conventional multipoint television conference control apparatus, a person can easily participate late in a conference as long as the multipoint television conference control apparatus has a free communication line. For this reason, if the date of a conference in which the user of a television conference apparatus is to participate is mistaken, the apparatus may be abruptly connected to a wrong conference.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication conference terminal and a communication conference system which can solve each or all of the above problems.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a communication conference terminal and a communication conference system which can easily acquire pieces of information about conference participants in other stations.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a communication conference terminal apparatus for holding a conference by using a plurality of communication conference terminals, comprising input means for inputting conference participant personal information, communication means for communicating the conference participant personal information input by the input means to a partner""s communication conference terminal, and display means for displaying the conference participant personal information as visual information.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a communication conference terminal and a communication conference system which can easily form the proceedings of a conference.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a communication conference terminal and a communication conference system which allows easy recognition of the presence/absence of a participant in a conference.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a communication conference terminal and a communication conference system which have novel functions.
Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.